“Birds of a feather, flock together.” He gave her a cheesy grin.
She clenched her hands. “Listen, I’m nothing like my stepfather. I was just an innocent child forced to live with him. I was his foremost victim.”
“Okay, ma’am. I’ve heard every excuse, but I just want the facts.” Detective Martin turned away to jot a few more notes. “After you’ve given your full statement, Mrs. Farrington, you may go. We’re holding your husband for more questioning.”
Kate glanced at Trent. She wanted to stay with him until he was released. He leaned back in the chair, his arms folded over his chest, his gaze shuttered to her. “Go on home, Kate,” he said gruffly. “When I get out, we’ll make our arrangements…”
Her shoulders sagged because she knew what Trent meant—the divorce. She nodded and should be grateful that he didn’t say she worked for Blake or she would have been held for questioning, too. There was nothing she could ever do to prove to Trent that she loved him—that she really was a good person. Her one sin—she’d lied to get into the company.
The Detective turned to Eden. “Would you stay, ma’am? We’d like to ask you a few questions about anything you remember that pertains to this case.”
“Of course.” Eden swiped her eyes with a tissue. “My daughter-in-law here wouldn’t want Trent in trouble—she only wants him for his money and he’d have done so much better if he’d married the girl I’d wanted him to. But I can’t lie about it—even if I am his mother. Trent hated Frank with a passion.”
Frowning, Kate bit her lip. Trent’s mother wasn’t helping him at all.
“You’re under arrest, Mr. Farrington,” the detective stated.
“Call my attorney,” Trent said as his hands were handcuffed behind his back.
“But I have proof that Blake was sabotaging the company,” Kate said.
“All right. Let’s see it.”
She rummaged through her jacket pockets and then her purse. Not finding the report, she winced and looked at Trent. “Do you have it?”
His eyes narrowed to slits, Trent slowly shook his head. “Regrettably not.”
“The report must have blown away during the scuffle,” Kate said. “I’m sure I can call the lab on Monday morning and get a copy.”
“Monday morning is three days away,” Trent said in an ill-humored voice.
She didn’t actually have proof Blake was responsible, but she had invoices that provided a trail to the warehouse. If she could link Blake to that warehouse…
Kate turned to the detective. “May I speak to my husband privately?”
“You have three minutes.”
Detective Martin stepped out with Mrs. Farrington and into another room. Kate saw them talking through a large glass window.
She sat in the chair beside Trent.
He gave her a sideways glance. “You got what you wanted, Kate. I’m going to jail for Blake’s death. And you can probably convince them that I killed your brother, too.”
“You know I don’t believe that now.”
“Why didn’t you just tell him you have the evidence against me? All the purchase orders that were changed have my signature on them. Or there’s a builder’s risk insurance policy on the building. Matter of fact, my mother says we’re over-insured. There you go. Great reason for me to want the project to fail––to get that extra money.”
She held up a hand. “Stop! We both know someone is trying to frame you. We can pull the original invoices and prove your signature was forged on the change orders.”
“So you believe in my innocence now, when my own mother doesn’t? Why should you, Kate? You have what you wanted. I’ll go to prison for Blake’s murder even if they don’t prosecute me for your brother’s death.”
Kate took a deep breath. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but there was no point. With what he thought of her, she had to leave South Florida as soon as she could make arrangements.
“I know you hate me, Trent, but I’ll do everything in my power to clear you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t hate you. That’s the last thing I feel.”
“I never worked for Blake. The only real lie I told was to get into the company. That was no worse than when you lied to your family that we were a happily married couple.”
“That’s different.”
“Is it?”
He didn’t answer.
She blew out a deep breath. “I don’t expect you to believe anything I say, and I’ll sign the divorce papers…whatever you want. But before I leave, I’m going to help clear you.”
She started to get up, but then dropped back into the chair. “I have to tell you…and this is so difficult.” She brought her hands to her burning cheeks. “Okay, I don’t really want to talk about this—it makes me sick to think about it. My involvement with Frank Blake is nothing like you’re thinking. If you still blame me after I tell you, I just hope one day you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me for something I had no control over. And he’s dead so now I have no proof for my story.”
She fanned her face with her hand. “Oh, I don’t even want to tell you the details—because I will break down.” Despite the fact that she was already close to ‘losing it’ and tears stung her eyes, she continued in a low voice, “Most of my life, I lived in fear. My stepfather was abusive, so maybe you can understand why I’m involved at the Children’s Abuse Center, because that’s where I should have been placed…to protect me.”
Tears trickled down Kate’s cheek as she went on, “I was sixteen. Blake saw me and offered my stepfather a large sum for my…for my… I can’t even say it—my virginity! It’s not something a nice father would do, is it? But my stepfather was a greedy, nasty man. He couldn’t refuse such easy cash—$10,000. It was clear on my stepfather’s face, that with that offer, he’d found a way to make money from me. And he sold me for one week to be that man’s plaything. It didn’t matter to my stepfather what happened to me. And that’s when I realized that he’d never, ever, change.”
She raised her eyes to find Trent’s brow furrowed. “Oh, I’m going on too much. Do you want to hear the rest of my horrible, horrible childhood?”
“Yeah, tell me the rest,” he said.
Kate dropped her gaze to her clenched hands in her lap. “So everything you think about me is true. I was a hooker…but for only one night. My stepfather drove me to Blake’s house. And I was going to go through with it. I was so scared. If I refused what my stepfather had arranged for that kind of money, he said he’d hurt me badly.” Tears trickled down her cheeks. “Although my self-esteem was at a low point, I decided then and there that I’d rather die than let him turn me into a prostitute.
When I refused to go through with it, Blake ripped my dress from neckline to hem. I threw up all over myself and him—a slight bit of revenge. He let me go into the bathroom to freshen up. I locked the door and ran the bathtub to cover the noise, while I escaped through a window—that I had to break. That’s how I got the scar.”
She pointed to her midsection. “I took a big risk because I nearly died… Matt was my hero. He helped me get to my aunt’s house that night. I was in the hospital for a little while. My stepfather came looking for me, but my aunt threatened legal action. After that, I went to live with her. She stepped in to take over custody of me and she took in Matt too. I didn’t tell you because I really want to forget that part of my life and I was worried what you’d think about me. It’s always been humiliating—shameful.”
Shock was evident on his face when Trent leaned back in his chair, his handcuffed wrists behind him.
“See why I didn’t want to tell you. It’s not pretty, but disgusting,” she said in a low voice.
His brow furrowed. “It’s an overwhelming tale, Kate.”
She didn’t think he bought her story, or at least not the part where she wasn’t to blame. “Oh, I don’t expect you to believe me. And it’s hard for me to remember and talk about it, but when my stepfather was aroun
d my life was worse than bad... I know it won’t make a difference with us, but you deserve to know the truth about me and my involvement with Blake. It wasn’t something I wanted—it was something forced on me. In a way it feels like a relief to tell you.” She swiped the tears from her cheeks, then stood and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?” he asked. “To your house or my grandfather’s?”
She called over her shoulder, “Neither. I’m going to the warehouse. It’s partly my fault you’re being blamed.”
“Kate, no! His thugs are still out there.”
She couldn’t look at him and once again see the disgust for her in his eyes. “No, they were arrested. I’m going to see if there is any evidence to tie them to the place. Then I’m going to Farrington Towers and get the duplicate copies of those purchase orders. I should return in a couple of hours.”
“Don’t go, Kate.”
She started toward the door again, then paused. “The detective isn’t going to believe me without cold, hard proof. I’m a lowlife con artist to him, too.”
“Wait until I get bond. I’ll go with you.”
“I have to go alone,” she said flatly. “If possible, let’s handle the divorce by mail. I’ll sign away my rights to the pre-nuptial money—I don’t want it. I wish you well.”
“Don’t go, Kate. Come back. We need to talk.”
She shook her head. “There’s nothing left to say. You’ll never believe that I am the girl that you met and that our weekend was real, or that I’m worthy of your love. But I’ll never forget you.”
“Kate!” When he started to follow her, one of the police officers stopped him.
She kept walking. She didn’t want him to see the tears flowing down her face, or the shame burning her cheeks. She didn’t want to see the revulsion in his eyes, to see what he thought of her past. He knew the worst. Her life was nothing like the women that he would have known, or the woman he should marry. He knew all about her dark, dirty secrets. So regardless of what she felt, their relationship was now over.
Dredging up all the old memories made her feel as worthless as she had when she was young. Aunt Kate had taken her and loved her and made Kate believe she was a wonderful human being. She wanted to feel that way again.
She’d clear Trent somehow. And then she’d leave Florida and try to put him and the past behind her, but she was sure it would take a long time to get him out of her heart.
* * *
Kate parked her car around the corner from the warehouse. Her adrenaline was pumping as she strode down the sidewalk with her mace in her pocket and a flashlight in her hand. She found a smaller door that led to the office. She tried the knob, but the door was locked. She wasn’t willing to risk breaking the window—not with her background. Besides, it was wired with an alarm system.
Peering in the window, she saw stacks of drywall. She was about to return to her car, when she noticed one of the huge doors to the warehouse was slightly ajar.
Kate pushed open the door, just enough to slip inside the cavernous room. An office nightlight shone dimly through dingy glass windows, but otherwise the warehouse was completely dark and dank, and smelled of dust.
She used her flashlight to illuminate the drywall. There were foreign language symbols that she could not read. Had the drywall been shipped here to disguise the markings before being sent to the Karger site?
Something scurried against the toe of her high heel. She slapped her hand over her mouth to stifle a scream. She flashed the light around the area and saw pallets of drywall everywhere.
A car roared into the parking lot. The tires screeched to a halt. Kate’s heart hammered. She moved further back into the eerie warehouse to hide herself. Minutes later, the lights in the office brightened, sending light through the interior windows and into the warehouse. Mumbled voices carried from inside.
To hide, Kate ducked behind a mound of empty crates, shoving the flashlight into her pocket. Drawers opened and closed in the office. Did Blake have more henchmen than the three who were arrested?
The door from the office to the warehouse swung open. Footsteps trampled down the steps in her direction.
Her heart beat rapidly as she crouched down behind the crates.
“One part of the job is done,” a man said, flicking on the overhead lights. “The little bitch really got in our way, but I didn’t expect her to tie in a connection to the drywall. I’ll take care of her tomorrow. In the morning, we have to arrange for this to be loaded on a truck and dumped far away from here.”
Had she heard the man’s voice before? There was another voice, lower and undistinguishable—feminine.
Kate wanted to peak over the crates, to get a glimpse, but she couldn’t risk it. She strained her ears to hear more.
Her cell phone rang and shattered the quiet. Panicking, she slipped her hand in her pocket and clicked off the phone. Her heart pounded as she held her breath, hoping against hope that they had not heard the sound.
“Someone’s here,” the man barked.
He rounded the corner. Kate gasped and tried to run, but she was backed into a corner. She tried to scramble over a crate to get a way.
“It seems the wife is snooping and wants to throw another glitch in our plans,” the man said.
He jerked Kate up by the back of her jacket collar as if she weighed nothing. Before she could make out his features in the dim light, he swung his fist at her. Pain exploded in her head, while total darkness descended upon her.
* * *
Trent told the police his side of the story and reminded them that he’d reported issues before about the building site. In one incident—the crash of the elevator—he had been nearly killed.
In the early hours after midnight, after his bond was paid, Trent was given back his cell phone. He called Kate. When she didn’t answer, he drove to her house. She wasn’t there. Finally, he stopped by Greg’s condo to get Darcy’s home number.
“Have you seen Kate?” Trent said, practically busting into Greg’s condo when Greg opened the door. Darcy walked out of the bedroom, wearing a robe. If Trent had found the two together at any other time, he would have smiled for his friend, but now the situation was dire.
Darcy thrust her face toward him as if she wanted to claw his eyes out. “No, I haven’t heard from her since this afternoon. She went to give you a report about tainted drywall. In spite of the terrible things you think about Kate, she wanted to make sure you got the report. She feared for your safety. If you’ve done something to hurt her—”
“Done something to hurt her—I’m trying to find her!”
Darcy put her hands on her hips. “Listen, Trent, Kate’s a great girl, and if she hasn’t told you, I will. The only thing wrong with Kate was her stepdad, and if you think she’s anything like him—you’re not worth the trouble. Thank God, that horrible Bill Jackson is dead. She used to come to school with bruises. Now, don’t you hurt her anymore. She’s endured more pain than anyone should—”
His eyes burning, Trent blew out a deep breath. “Darcy, she told me some of her story tonight. But why didn’t she tell me all this weeks ago?”
Darcy shrugged. “She has her pride, I guess. I’m sure she wants to forget that part of her life, certainly not have it shape her future. And she didn’t think you’d believe her.”
“I have to admit she was probably right.”
“You don’t know the horrible things that man has done to her—and she was one of the people most victimized by her stepfather’s crimes. She didn’t even want to tell me—her best friend. And I only found out recently that once he’d made her go out on a ledge to try to get into another apartment so she could unlock the door for him. Seven floors up. She told me she was petrified and frozen on the ledge. That’s why she’s afraid of heights. She was eight years old, Trent.”
“She started to tell me tonight…”
“She said the bastard had to coax her back to him. He beat the living daylights out of h
er after she got off the ledge because she’d ruined his plans.”
“Darcy, if he wasn’t already dead, I’d like to beat Bill Jackson to a pulp.” Trent ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I’ll make things right with Kate, but I can’t find her. She went to a warehouse to find evidence to clear me. I don’t have an address… I don’t know where to look… I’m worried…”
“I know where the warehouse is.” Darcy grabbed her purse. “Why don’t we go with you?”
Kate had been afraid to tell him about her past. “She thought I was too much of a snob to accept her with her background, and I proved her right. I’ll make it up to her. I swear, Darcy.” Guilt seared Trent as he climbed back into his car.
When they arrived at the warehouse, Trent jumped out and paused beside Greg’s car.
Greg rolled down the window. “Would she have come here alone?”
Trent leaned his hand on the car door. “Yeah, I’m afraid she’s brave enough. She wanted to find evidence that would clear me.”
Darcy nodded. “Yeah, Kate’s a little brave and might try it. She’s fiercely protective of the people she loves…” Trent’s gaze locked on Darcy’s at those words. She shrugged and added, “Which has gotten her into trouble before, if you know what I mean.”
Trent and Greg entered the warehouse and found that a scuffle had gone on there. And a high-heeled shoe that looked like the ones Kate wore that day, lay on the floor.
Dread soared through Trent as he rushed the shoe outside to Darcy. “Something’s happened to Kate.”
Darcy put her hands to her cheeks. “Yeah, there’s no way she’d leave one of those shoes behind,” she said cryptically. “Expensive.”
* * *
While Greg and Darcy went to check for Kate at the offices, Trent strode into his family’s mansion. Trent found his grandfather in the living room.
“Has Kate been here?” Trent asked.
“No. Why?” His grandfather’s forehead wrinkled with concern. “Is something wrong?”
“Yeah, everything’s wrong. And I can’t find her.”
“Trent… You’re finally coming to your senses about that dear girl.”
Disguised with the Millionaire (Dangerous Millionaires Series Book 2) Page 35